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“I look forward to hearing all about your time, dear.”
With a light pat on her cheek, her mother left. Natalie closed the door and took a deep breath. She had to open her shop in an hour, and she was a mess, and now she was in deep shit to boot.
A door creaked open behind her, and she turned to see Easton. He was in nothing but low-slung jeans, resting his strong arm against the doorframe.
Her mouth instantly watered at the sight. The morning light was the man’s friend, and between the rumpled hair she’d had her hands in last night, and the steely abs and the open belt hanging on some seriously cut hips, she couldn’t help but squeeze her knees together.
“So that was your mom,” he said.
“Yeah.”
He shook his head. “Too close for comfort.” He looked down at himself. “Shit. I have to get out of here.”
Of course he had to get out of there. But they hadn’t even talked about last night, what it meant that they’d crossed that boundary and entered forbidden territory. Maybe it was better that way—to not talk about it at all and just forget it had ever happened.
“Good luck with your mom, darlin’,” he said.
So now that they were in the light of day, she was back to “darlin’” and no longer “baby.”
Probably because we’re no longer in the throes of passion, idiot.
Not that she was thinking about last night or anything.
“Nothing I can’t handle,” she said with fake confidence and took a step toward him. “Besides, you don’t have a date, either, and it turns out Matt is moving the wedding to Beaufort.”
He shrugged. “No problem for me. I like to keep my options open. Usually I take home a hot bridesmaid.”
She tried really hard not to grit her teeth at that. She didn’t care what East did. And obviously he’d take someone home. He always did. And any pang of jealousy she felt about that would have to die a quick death. She could feel the wall of “Little Natalie” vs “Playboy East” back between them.
Must be nice being a guy with options and not a grown woman with a mother hell-bent on marrying her off. Worse, East now knew all about her problem. Great, just great. The arrogant pain in her ass—currently looking way too good without a shirt on—was probably thinking about all the city girls coming into town. And given that he was Matt’s best man, he’d likely hook up with at least one bridesmaid, if not the entire frickin’ gaggle of them.
Not that she cared.
Whatever happened last night was over.
It never should have happened, and maybe if she tried real hard, she could pretend that the one passionate experience of her life had been with someone else. She’d look back on this memory and try to picture anyone other than East.
She watched him search for his discarded shirt, and his muscles rippled with every movement…
Fat chance of fantasizing about a guy hotter than him.
“So you’re going to the wedding alone and I’m—”
“Going with a date it sounds like. One way or another,” he finished for her and winked. Yep, he’d heard the whole conversation. “Better get on it then, darlin’. It’s slim pickin’s in these parts.”
Didn’t she know it? But it was clear East wasn’t going to help her. Why would he? He’d never helped her find a good date. No, but he’d always delighted in pointing out when she was on a bad date. And now, after last night, after he’d shown her what she was missing and what she needed, he had the nerve to tell her to look elsewhere. Like it was so easy to find someone who knew how to push her buttons like he did.
For her own sanity, she had to address last night at least once, and set a boundary so she could officially go back to really, really hating him. She needed him far away and out of her system, because him simply standing there was irritating and turning her on all at the same time.
Not a good combo considering that she now knew what that level of sexual animosity erupted into. A messy cake shop, a ruined dress, and some seriously hot memories she’d never forget.
Focus! East equals bad.
“Look, with the wedding being moved here and my brother coming into town,” she started, “I think it’s best we just keep our distance.”
He frowned and looked at her like she’d just spoken in a language he didn’t understand. But finally he said, “Fine.”
Why was he being huffy? Wasn’t he the one who’d said he needed to get out of there ASAP?
